Buffer device for firearms



Dec. 14, 194:8` F. 1 HUMESTON 2,456,280

I v BUFFER DEVCE FOR IREARMS w Filed June 25, 1946 2 sheets-sheet 1 if: -iI5 lvm i k I Y N Dec. 14, 1948.` F. l.. HUMEsToN 2,456,280

I BUFFER DEVICE FOR .'E'IREARMSA I Filed June 25, V194e; 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Dec. 14, 1948 UNITED-STAT BUFFER DEVICE Fon FIREARMS FrederickL. Humeston, Hamden, Conn., assigner to The High Standard Manufacturing Corpora- L. i ltion, New. Haven, Conn., a corporation of Con- .Aiplieatan .rune 25, 1946, serial No. 679,246

The present invention relates in 4generalto re- `arms and more particularly to` improved-means for absorbing recoil shocks between the receiver and the `complement'al stock of the-rearm. t

In the past, eiorts have been made to absorb the recoil shocks or stresses incident to the discharge of a iirearmfby providing, for example, integral abutmerlts on the innerwallsof 'the recess `of the stock against which the dependingportion of thereceiver wasadapted to seatrthe force of the recoil being transmitted by the receiver to the wall-abutments of the stock. i `This construction has not, howevei,\proved altogether satisfactory inasmuch as therecoiliiorces were thus applied to thestock adjacent.the.` relativelythin walls thereof which frequently caused these Walls to split. Y l

One of the objects of thepresent invention is to provide a firearm structure having asuperior construction and arrangement fof parts whereby the connection of a receiver.1and a 'stockis'rsuch as tov eliminate splittingvof `the stockbY recoil shocks or stressesincident'tothefdischarge of the firearm. i i

A further object of the present invention is to provide a superior firearm constructionwherein means is providedl within `:thereceiver-cavity of a stock arranged to transmit,` the `rearward recoil shook, in such a manner as torelieve'the `Walls of the stock fromgshocksor 'stresses and effectively preclude the occurrence of splitting.

`With the above and other objects `in view, as 'will appear to those skilled in `the art from the present disclosure,l this invention includes all features in the said disclosure which are novel over the prior art. A i

In the accompanying` drawings, in which certain modes of carrying out the present invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is a View of the central portion of azrearm embodying the recoil-transmittingmeans of the present invention `and shown .partly in side elevation and partly in vertical central-longitudinal section; i

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View taken on line 2-2 of Fig. i; i

Fig. 3 is a broken view partly'in side elevation and partly in vertical central-longitudinal section of the central portion of the stock, includingthe recoil-transmitting means; p

Fig. 4 is a horizontal plan view of Fig. `3;

Fig. 5 is a transverseV sectional View taken on line 5 5 of Fig.i3; ,A

Fig. 6 is a perspective `view of thelimproved shock-transmittin'g means I of` this invention; and

i '5 Claims. (Cl. 42-75) Fig. 7 is a broken side elevation of the receiver and fire-control mechanism of the firearm detached from the stock.

Referring to the drawings, the latter show an exemplary embodiment of 'the invention as used in a rearm of the type comprising a one-piece stock, shown generally at lil, having an' open recess I I extending longitudinally thereof. The recess II is substantially rectangular in cross section, as shown in Fig. 5, and comprises a closed rear end-wall I2, spaced parallel side-'walls I3 and a bottom or floor I4. Since the recess I I must be made wide enough to accommodate the receiver and fire-control mechanism hereinafter described, the recess II is relatively wide as compared to the over-all width of the stock, the Walls of the latter adjacent the recess Il, being relav tively thin. The iloor lll is provided with a suitable aperture I5 which extends from the rear Wall I2 of the recess forwardly, and is adapted to accommodate the trigger-arm IG of the fire-control mechanism, the latter being indicated generally at I'I in Figs'l and '7. Forwardly of the longitudinal slot I5 is a second longitudinal slot I8 in the floor I4 which is arranged to permit access to the rear end of the tubular-magazine I9 of the firearm, for loading the latter. The usual trigger-guard 2) is secured to the underside of the stock adjacent the aperture I5.

-The longitudinal open recess II of the stock is adapted to accommodate the barrel 2|, nre-control mechanism I'I and the receiver, the latter being indicated generally at 22 and comprising a rearwardly-extending tubular member 23 integral with or otherwise securedto the rear end of the barrel ZI; and a frame-member or block 24 rigidly secured as, for example, by a welded or brazed joint, to the tubular member 23, the barrel 2l, nre-control mechanism I'I and receiver 22 all being assembled as a unit in the recess II 1 of the stock, and held securely therein by fastenthe minute details of which are immaterial to a "full disclosure of the present invention.

Referring now to Fig. 1, when the barrel 2|, fire-control mechanism l'! and receiver 22 are assembled in the aperture of the stock, the rear end of the receiver, and in particular the rear end 28 of the block 24 thereof, is spaced forwardly of the rear wall l2 of the slot, as shown in Fig. 2. Mounted in the space between the rear wall l2 of the recess and the rear end 28 of the receiver-block 24, is the improved means yof this invention for transmitting the rearward recoil shock and stresses incident to the discharge of the firearms, to the rear Wall l2 of the'recess in such a manner that none of the forces ofl recoil are applied to the adjacent relatively-thin walls of the stock, substantially all of the rearward recoil force being transmitted in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stock and hence absorbed by the relativelythick pistol-grip portion thereof, of which the rear wall i2 of the recess constitutes an abutting face.

The force-transmitting means is shown generally at 29 in Fig. 6 and comprises a substantially- U-shaped relatively-stiff sheet-metal member having a base-portion at its rear end comprising a substantially-vertical transverse wall and a pair of spaced parallel arms comprising substantially-vertical forwardly-extending walls 3|. The bottom edges of the latter and of the baseportion 30 are in the same horizontal plane and are adapted to seat squarely on the floor |4 of the recess I in the stock, as shown in Fig. 5. The vertical dimensions of the forward ends of the forwardly-extending arms or walls 3| are greater than the vertical dimension of the transversewall 3U, the upper edge of the latter being blended into the upper edges of the walls 3| by a at'32 and radius 33. The increased vertical dimensions of the side walls 3| provide increased stability and may also serve to distribute over a relativelylarge area and hence to dissipate any forces acting against the thin side Walls of the stock. Moreover, the reduced height of the rear end portion of the member 29 provides for the accommodation of the elements of the fire-control mechanism. The rear end or base-portion 30 of the forcetransmitting member 29 is a substantially-planar vertical wall which is adapted to abut against the rear end-wall |2 of the recess The arms or side Walls 3| of the member 29` are adapted to extend forwardly closely adjacent the corresponding inner Walls I3 of the recess which, as shown in Fig. 5, are virtually planar surfaces. The forwardly-extending walls 3| of the member 29 are, however, not planar surfaces but each is provided with longitudinal stiffening-means which, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, may be located in the lower half of the member 29 and comprises, in the present embodiment, an inwardly-projecting longitudinal undulation rib or fold 34 extending from a point adjacent the rear end-wall 30 of the member 29 forwardly to the forward end 35 thereof. As indicated in Figs. 2 and 5, each stil'fening-means or rib 34 is flared inwardly adjacent its forward end 35 so as to provide a substantially-bell-shaped or conical end-portion 36. This construction is preferred in order that when the recoil-transmitting member 29 is mounted in the recess of the stock, between the rear wall l2y of the recess and the rear end 28 of the receiver-block 24, the forward ends 35 of the walls 3|, and inv particular of the bell-shaped portions 36 of the stiffening-ribs 34 will engage a relatively-large area of the rear end 28 of the receiver-block 24, the areas of engagement being v'thin-Walled casing 2l of the receiver.

near the longitudinal center line of the receiverblock 24 and on opposite sides thereof. It is to be particularly noted that the forward ends 35 of the walls 3| and stiifening-ribs 34 engage firmly against the rear end 28 of the receiver-block 24 and that there is no abutting engagement of the walls 3| and stiflening-ribs- 34 with the relatively- The forcetransmitting element 29 is adapted to be secured in the recess of the stock by fastening-means which may comprise a brad 3l or the like, adapted to project through an aperture 38 in the rear wall 30 of the member 29 into the rear end wall l2 of the recess Although the stiifening-means 34 of the present embodiment has proven satisfactory both from the standpoint of economy of manufacture and efficiency in'operation, it will be understood that the stiffening-means may take other equivalent forms, and that the general shape and proportions of the member 29 may be varied to correspond to the available space in any particular firearm.

It will be readily apparent from the foregoing description and drawings, that when the recoiltransmitting element 29 is assembled in the recess |l of the stock, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the member 29 fits substantially snugly between the rear end-wall I2 of the recess and the rear end 28 of the receiver-block 24, and hence the rearward-recoil force incident to firing the gun will beA transmitted from the receiver-block 24 to the abutting edges 35 of the Walls 3| and stiieningribs 34 of the member 29, and by the latter in a substantially-longitudinal direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stock to the rear wall l2 of the recess. In this manner and by this means, the relatively-thin side walls of the stock adjacent the recess are relieved of all shock or stress, thus effectively precluding the possibility of splitting the stock.

The invention may be carried out in other specic Ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. A firearm structure including in combination: a stock having an interior vertical longitudinal recess therein provided with a rear endwall; a receiver-member arranged to seat in said recess; and recoil-transmitting means comprising a U-shaped sheet-metal member mounted in said recess, said member abutting at its base against the rear end-wall of said recess and having forwardly-extending arms each provided with an inwardly-projecting rib extending longitudinally thereof, the forward end of each rib being arranged to abut the rear end of said receiver-member to transmit the rearward recoil shock of said receiver-member to the rear endwall of said recess.

2. A rearm structure including in combination: a stock having an interior vertical longitudinal recess therein provided with a rear endwall; a receiver-member arranged to seat in said recess; and recoil-transmitting means comprising a U-shaped sheet-metal member mounted in said recess, said member abutting at its base against the rear end-wall of said recess and having forwardly-extendingV arms, each arm having an inwardly-projecting stiffening-element extending longitudinally thereof, the forward end of each stifening-element being arranged to abut the rear end of said receiver-member on opposite sides thereof to transmit the rearward recoil shock of said receiver-member to the rear end-wall of said stock.

3. A firearm structure including in combination: a stock having an interior vertical longitudinal recess therein provided with a rear end- Wall; a receiver-member arranged to seat in said recess; recoibtransmitting means comprising a U-shaped sheet-metal member mounted in said recess, said member abutting at its base against the rear cnd-\va1l of said recess and having forwardly-extending arms, each arm having an inwardly-projecting fold extending longitudinally thereof, the forward end of each fold being arranged to abut the rear end ci said receivermember on opposite sides thereof to transmit the rearward recoil shock of said receiver-member to the rear end-Wall of said stock; and means engaged in the base of said U-shaped member to secure the latter to the rear end-wall of said recess.

4. A firearm structure including in combination: a stoel: having an interior vertical longie tudinal recess therein provided with a rear end- Wall and a base-portion; a receiver-member arranged to seat in said recess; and recoil-transmitting means mounted in said recess and comprising a U-shaped member having a transe verse base-portion arranged to abut against the rear end-wall of said recess and a pair of spaced parallel arms extending forwardly therefrom and supported freely on the said base-portion of said recess in juxtaposition to the respective side walls thereof, the forward free ends of said arms being arranged to abut against the rear end of said receiver-member at opposite sides thereof respectively to transmit the force of recoil of said receiver to the rear end-Wall of said recess.

5. In a one-piece takedown firearm, the combination with a one-piece stock having a recess provided with a rear end-Wall and a base-portion; of a receiver arranged to enter said recess, said receiver having a rear shoulder; and a recoil-transmitting means mounted in said recess and comprising a unitary U-shaped sheet-metal member having a transverse base-portion arranged to engage against the rear end-Wall of said recess, and a pair of spaced parallel arms bent up from the transverse base-portion of said member so as to extend forwardly therefrom, said arms being supported freely on the said base-portion of said recess in juxtaposition to the respective side Walls thereof, the forward free ends of said arms being arranged to abut against the rear shoulder of said receiver on opposite sides thereof respectively to transmit the force of recoil of said receiver to the rear end- Walls of said recess.

FREDERICK L. HUMESTON.

REFERENCES CETED The following references are of record in the rile of this patent:

UNITED STAPLES PATENTS Number 

